Official NFL Draft 1st Round Thread

[red]

no need for a QB in new york, we'll just draft another guy for no one to throw to

[King Friday]

This is the perfect NY pick…flashy guy who is never going to win shit.

[Joemailman]

Michael Penix

Overview
Penix will be a 24-year-old rookie with a history of season-ending injuries at Indiana and impressive production while at Washington. The Huskies’ offensive design helped declutter coverages for Penix, allowing him to throw a higher number of intermediate and deep passes. He plays with smart pocket mobility and a willingness to get rid of the football, which makes it difficult to sack him. His delivery is bundled and his release point is very low, but his monster game against Texas showed flashes of impeccable touch. Penix has plenty of arm but needs to work with more consistent timing between the numbers to eliminate unnecessary contested throws. He’s a pocket passer who was ineffective in 2023 when defenses were able to crank up the heat and make him move his feet. Playing in a shotgun-based spread attack might give him his best chance to succeed, but he needs to prove he can thrive outside of the Washington offense and stay free from injury.

Strengths
Possesses enormous hands to control the football.
Sees pressure creeping up pre-snap and gets himself protected.
Makes sudden transition from his drop to his release.
Slides from pressure and resets to find his platform.
Wrist flick sends it 50-plus yards without much effort.
Has ability to make drive throws with added velocity when needed.
Fearless attacking far-sideline buckets between corner and safety.
Sacked just 31 times over 1,759 career dropbacks, per PFF.

IWeaknesses
Suffered multiple season-ending injuries during his time at Indiana, including tearing his right ACL twice.
Posted 20 TDs and 9 INTs over his final 11 games of the 2023 season.
Forces receivers to break stride on a variety of throws.
Throws with wide-open front side when feet fail to follow his eyes.
Heavily reliant upon receiving talent winning jump balls.
Production/consistency plummet when forced to throw outside the pocket.

[Joemailman]

Rome Odunze

Overview
A team captain with good size and elite ball skills, Odunze consistently dominated his competition. While most receivers look to open separation windows with speed or route running, Odunze seems to relish jump balls and contested catches. He shines in all aspects of ball skills, including positioning, body control, hand strength, timing and mid-air adjustments. He has a tendency to cruise through routes rather than working with attention to detail and pacing. He was a decorated high school sprinter, so speed should not be an issue in the pros. He’s a high-volume target on the next level that play-callers can utilize to mismatch finesse cornerbacks. Elite ball skills are often the secret sauce for top NFL receivers, so it should not surprise if Odunze is a Day 1 starter who becomes a top-flight WR1.

Strengths
Carries the frame and play strength of an NFL WR1.
Lacks rare speed but should be considered a playmaker.
Good separation talent.
Early eyes on the football to find positioning as quickly as possible.
All-star ball-winner with magnificent body control and acrobatic ball skills.
Brilliant job of bodying defenders and controlling air traffic.
Is going to be too strong and too skilled for some defenders.
Catches with strong, reliable hands away from his frame.

Weaknesses
Rushes through early stages of his double moves.
Upright and gradual into top of the route on comebacks.
Attention to detail is missing from his routes.
Too content taking 50/50 battles rather than operating at top speed.
Room for greater effort as a run blocker.